12th RMP ARIA COMPETITION
Sunday 19 August at 7pm, Deakin Edge, Federation Square
Please note that the deadline for entries to the 2018 RMP Aria has been extended to 5pm Tuesday 31 July
Now firmly established as one of Australia’s most prestigious singing events, the RMP Aria is Australia’s pre-eminent competition for oratorio soloists. Previous winners now rank amongst the nation’s most successful concert artists, with many having gone on to spectacular international careers.
The Finalists of the 2018 RMP ARIA will battle it out for the chance to win thousands of dollars worth of cash, professional photography packages, language coaching and various other prizes – as well as future engagements with the Royal Melbourne Philharmonic.
Each singer will perform a short program of arias and recitatives from the world of oratorio, accompanied on piano by outstanding pianist and RMP Principal Accompanist Stefan Cassomenos. A distinguished panel of judges will decide over $6000.00 worth of cash prizes, as well as other awards including language coaching and professional photographic packages and future performance opportunities with the RMP.
At the end of the Final, RMP Chief Conductor Andrew Wailes will direct a full scale performance of the RMP Oratorio Festival Choir, the Royal Melbourne Philharmonic Orchestra and four superb soloists, in a rare performance of Giacomo Carissimi’s Historia di Jephte.
Audience tickets include a free champagne and cheese reception at the conclusion of the evening, where audience members have the chance to meet the finalists, adjudicators, orchestra, choir and conductor.
ENTRY DEADLINE: 5pm on Tuesday 31st JULY 2018
1. Eligibility
The RMP Aria Competition is open to all classical singers, amateur or professional
Eligible entrants must be:
i) under 35 years at 19 August, 2018
ii) an Australasian citizen or current resident.
Any previous or current member of the RMP choir, or a previously engaged soloist with the RMP is still
permitted to enter the competion, provided they meet the two criteria above.
All entries should be sent to: RMP ARIA COMPETITON
C/- ROYAL MELBOURNE PHILHARMONIC
THE DRILL HALL,
239 A’BECKETT STREET
MELBOURNE VIC 3000
Phone enquiries should be directed to Andrew Wailes +61 (0)433 661 971, or by email:
musicdirector@rmp.org.au.
Please note that Andrew Wailes will be overseas conducting from 30 June – 25 July, so email is probably best during this time.
BOOKING AUDIENCE TICKETS:
The Final of the 2018 RMP Aria Competition Final will be followed by a full scale performance of Giacomo Carissimi’s Historia di Jephte
Soloists: Kate Macfarlane soprano, Max Riebl alto, Brenton Spiteri tenor, Nicholas Dinopoulos bass
RMP Oratorio Festival Choir
Royal Melbourne Philharmonic OrchestraVIEW a performance of ‘Plorate filli Israel’HEREAbout the composer:Giacomo Carissimi’s exact birthdate is not known, but it was probably in 1605 in Marino near Rome, Italy. Of his early life almost nothing is known. His first known appointments were at Tivoli Cathedral; from October 1623 he sang in the choir, and from October 1624 to October 1627 he was the organist. In 1628 Carissimi moved north to Assisi, as maestro di cappella (chapel master) at the Cathedral of San Rufino. In 1628 he obtained the same position at the church of Sant’Apollinare belonging to the Collegium Germanicum in Rome, which he held until his death. This was despite him receiving several offers to work in very prominent establishments, including an offer to take over from Claudio Monteverdi at San Marco di Venezia in Venice. In 1637 he was ordained a priest. He seems to have never left Italy at all during his entire lifetime. He died in 1674 in Rome.
The great achievements generally ascribed to Carissimi are the further development of the recitative, first introduced by Claudio Monteverdi, which is highly important to the history of dramatic music; the further development of the chamber cantata, and the development of the oratorio, of which he is today regarded as the first significant composer, with Jephte as probably his best known work. These works and other subsequent works in this form were important for establishing the form of oratorio unaccompanied by dramatic action, which maintained its hold for nearly 300 years. The name ‘oratorio’ comes from their original presentation at the Oratory of Santissimo Crocifisso in Rome.